Ingot mold



E d L 1G .2//9 mm? f E. GATHMANN INGOT MoLD Filed March 5.

July 19, 1927.

da .m7 F la Patented July 19, 1927i unirsi) #STATES EXIL QATEKANN, OF BALTIMOBE, MBYiLAND.

moor rlnn.

'applic-ation nica niet' s, 1m; nenni n. sansa.

' This invention relates to metal molds of the kindl commonly used in castin steel ingots and particularly to molds of t e class in which the lowerpart of the mold walls are made thicker than the upper part thereof and in which the mold cavity is made 'of lai" er diameter in the upper portion' of the mo d than in the lower portion thereof. This is a characteristic of the Gathmann molds now generally in use.

In the casting of metal moldsl ofthe kind just referred to, it has been found that betterV results are obtained when, the sand molds in which the metal molds are cast are 'bottom poured without a cope or cover, the molten metal being caused to rise in the sand mold until the desired sizeand shape for theingot mold isobtained. tThis method of casting ngot moldsl is so greatly superior to other methods that it has been generally adopted. It has, however, one defect. The upper surface of the casting when formed is quite rough and uneven and in such condition the mold is not suitable for use inasmuch as the top surface of the castingwhich constitutes the bottom of the ingot mold when inuse the stool or' sup- This roug surface is caused when blast furnace metal is used by what which rises or port. direct is known askish and slag,

' floats to the upper portion of the sand mold the costs of the steel.

and accumulates on the top of the ingot mold being cast. This kish and other impurities may be raked oit to a great extent but the rough surface above referred to remains. The common practice heretofore has been to remove this rough surface by suitable tools or machine-driven implements. ation,'howevcr, adds considerably to the cost of the mold and such costs naturally o into the cost of the ingot been proposedto form smooth surfaceson the bottoni or base of the mold b y chilling ortions of the surface whereby it maybe made smooth and even so that the mold will rocking or ltilting when in use.

be properly supportedwliile being poured. I have invented a new way of supporting the ingot mold whereby it may be held erect with its longitudinal axis in a true vertical plane and whereby it will be prevented from My present improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure Il is a view partly in section and rately This operand consequent y into i It has also heretofore ,partly in side elevation of a Gathmann ingot mold embod ing my invention.

Figure 2 s ows a vertical section of a sand mold and appurtenances and indicates how the ingot mold is cast and how the'devices 60 .fier supporting the mold are connected with i Figure 3 is a top plan view of the inold illustrated in Figure 2. f Figure 4 is a perspective view of the ingot 65 `mold cast in the sand mold.

The ingot mold embodying my improvements ispr'ovided with feet-which are so formed and so connected with the bottom of the mold that the mold is held erect with the required precision.- These feet are sepaformed and are. connected rigidly with the base of the mold. by having their inner or upper portions embedded therein during the process of casting the mold.` The outer or bottom faces of the feet are'made smooth and even by a chilling operation or in other suitable ways. In this way not only may the 'mold be properly supported on its stool but clear spaces are provided beneath 8o the mold and on the stool upon which dbris such as scale, particles of fire clay, etc., may, accumulate and from which they may be easily brushed r raked o. In Figure 1 a mold of the Gathmann type 85 is indicated at A. It is what is known as a big end up mold having walls 'thicker in its lower than in itsupper portion and the mold cavity is of greater volume at its upper por` .tion than at its lower portion. This-type of mold is nowl generally considered the stand' ard mold for producing steel `mgots. The

mold is formed with a bottom opening a closed by a plug B and laterally projecting mold by means of wliic the mold may be lifted and shifted. As thus `far described the mold is of usual construction. A stool for supporting the mold while being poured is indicated at S. In order to support the moldcn its stoolI employ a plurality ot metal` feet F. These -may b'e of various shapes but preferably they are tapered as shown, the bottom surface of the, feet being rendered smooth andeven while the upper 10;,

iortions of the feet are-connected with the ase of the mold. This connection is made by embedding the upper portions of the feet in the mold bottom in the manner shown and this is effected during the casting of the 1w mold in the Way shown in Figures 2 and 3.

As there indicated, D indicates a sand mold y of Well known construction. The sand parts are indicated at d and the flask or frame at al. The ingot mold cast in the sand mold is shown at A. The sand mold is bottom poured, being supplied with molten metal by a feeding device E of a well-known kind.

During the pouring operation the molten metal rises in the sand mold until it reaches the top thereof and then the pouring operation is discontinued. It will be observed that the upper part of the ingot mold is first formed, that portion of the ingot mold which forms the bottom when in use being the last to be cast. When the pouring has been stopped and during the cooling of the molten metal various impurities accumulate on the top of the mold consisting of what known as kish and other impurities which float to the top of the mold. Most of these impurities-may be brushed or raked ott when the metal cools or While cooling, but generally avery rough surface remains which would maire the mold Wabbly or prevent it from being supported with its vertical axis in a true vertical plane? and as before stated, it has been customary to render the bottom surface of the mold smooth and even by means of suitable tools or machine driven implements, or the difiiculties have heretofore been overcome to some extent by forming, during the casting operation, smooth and even surfaces on the mold bottom which can rest on the mold support or stool in such manner that the mold when in use will be properly supported.

According to my present invention, I support the mold on a plurality of feet which are so made and so connected to `the mold that the mold is supported with the desired precision in a very simple and effective Way. The feet F are preferably tapered as shown and their outer ends are made smooth and even in any suitable Way. They are preferably of the same size and shape and may be rapidly and cheaply made by standardized methods. In order to connect these feet with the mold l support a. suitable number of them in frames G which are made to rest on the top of the sand mold in the manner shown in Figures 2 and 3. Various kinds of supports may be used; preferably each frame consists of two bars -the metal and when the is stopped it will be foun g to receive the feet and end parts g2 which receive rings g3 and Wedges g. Each of the frames shown consist of tvvo bars of the vkind `inst described adapted to support two feet. These feet are carefull adjusted in the frames and are clamped tierein so that their upper ends shall be in practically the saine horizontal plane and when the frames are applied to the sand mold care is taken that the upper end surfaces of the feet shall lie in the same horizontal plane.

As the molten metal rises in the sand mold and lapproaches the top thereof the'inner portions of the feet will be surrounded by oui-ing operation d that the feet are firmly embedded in the ingot mold and will project therefrom 'with their axes in true vertical parallel planes which are also parallel with the axis of the mold. It is desirable that the top of the mold when in use should be smooth and even. There tore, l employ a chillplate W at the bottom of the sand mold which causes asinooth' even surface to be formed on the top of the mold. l

lt will of course be understood that the sand mold should be so supported that its longitudinal axis will be practically vertical in order that the supporting feet shall be properly connected with the mold in such manner that Whenvthe mold is in use it will be properly sustained.

If there should be any tendency forv the frames G to be raised or displaced by `the molten metal when rising, suitable clamping dvices may be used to hold the frames in n ace.

The mold when complete has a rou rh surface on the bottom, but the feet ho d such surface above the. stool o r support in the .manner before described.

l claim as iny invention:

An ingot mold having supporting feet projecting from the lower portion of the mold and the upper' portions of which extend into the bottom of the mold and are held therein by the metal of the mold which is cast around their upper ends.

ln testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

EML GATHMANN.

g placed side by side having curved portions 55 

